26/11 part of LeT plan to be more aggressive against India: Jundal

The 26/11 terror plot was allegedly a part of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s plan to adopt a ‘more aggressive’ anti-India approach.

The 26/11 terror plot was allegedly a part of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s plan to adopt a ‘more aggressive’ anti-India approach.

Sources in the crime branch said that alleged LeT handler Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal has revealed that the terror plot was hatched in January 2008, during a meeting of all top LeT commanders in Muridke, Pakistan, when they decided to take on a more aggressive stance towards India.

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They then decided that a fidayeen attack would be carried out in Mumbai, instead of using the old approach of planting bombs.

“After this meeting, top LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman-Lakhvi was entrusted with the planning, training and execution of the mission,” a source said.

It was reportedly Lakhvi’s decision to include Jundal in training the terrorists August 2008 onwards, as he thought the latter was the most aggressive Indian operative among the LeT fold in Pakistan.

Jundal had earlier told the crime branch that the 10 attackers who entered the city were trained at Muridke. Jundal said he was in-charge of teaching the terrorists Hindi. He also stayed in the same room as the terrorists for 10 days.

Jundal had earlier also revealed that he was in the control room set up in Karachi to coordinate the attacks and was communicating with the terrorists in Chhabad house.

Jundal has also told the crime branch that the LeT had access to weapons and other sophisticated equipment in Pakistan and LeT commander Muzammil had a good rapport with many in the Pakistan army and other establishments.

Jundal claimed that after the 26/11 attacks, when there was pressure on Pakistan to crack down on LeT camps, commanders were tipped off about raids in advance.

He also said arrested commanders were put up in guesthouse after their arrest and could still continue with terror activities.